Bridget Jones statue becomes permanent resident of Leicester Square: ‘She makes Londoners feel seen’

Extension of three-year lifespan for bronze coincides with 25th anniversary rerelease of original romcom

A record 149 days have now passed without alcohol, cigarettes or ice-cream for Bridget Jones’s statue in Leicester Square in London – and her fast is set to be extended indefinitely.

Originally conceived to be in situ for three years, the bronze statue, which was unveiled in November, has now been granted permanent residence opposite the Empire Casino and adjacent to the toilets, where she joins the likes of Harry Potter, Mary Poppins and Batman as part of Westminster council’s Scenes in the Square initiative.

“For 25 years, Bridget has made Londoners laugh, cry and feel seen,” says Kirsty Tullett-Jones, director of marketing and communications for Discover Leicester Square. “The reaction to her arrival in Leicester Square has been incredible, showing just how much she continues to resonate with audiences today.

“With the trail already celebrating the very best of film, it felt only right to honour one of the most iconic romcom characters of all time. Making Bridget a permanent fixture cements her place in both Leicester Square and British cultural history.”

The statue was unveiled by stars of the film Renée Zellweger and Sally Phillips, alongside Helen Fielding, who created the character in the 1990s for a newspaper column. Fielding’s subsequent series of novels have been published in more than 40 countries, while the four films have a combined box office of $900m (£683m).

The news of the statue’s stay of execution coincides with the return to cinemas of the first film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, released 25 years ago.

The fourth film, Mad About the Boy, was the second highest-grossing movie in the UK last year, but went straight to streaming in the US – though it was nominated for an Emmy. The romcom, co-starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall, was also nominated for a Bafta for outstanding British film.

Its director, Michael Morris, was among those at last year’s unveiling to express the hope for a further film in the series – although Fielding has not yet written a fifth novel.

The statue, which depicts the character clutching her diary and pen, and wearing a gaping cardigan exposing her navel, is the first in the project to immortalise a romcom character.

Speaking in November, Zellweger expressed the hope fans might rub her tummy for luck, and called the bare midriff “very real”.